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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. L. TAPSCOTT. MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING BOOTS 0R SHOES. No. 558,324. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

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ANDREW BGRAHAM.PHDTU-UYNU.WASHINGTON.DC. I

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O R.L.TAPSGOTT. I MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING BOOTS OR SHOES.

No. 558,324. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

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ANDREW EGRAHAM. PHUTWUTIIQWASHINGI'DWD C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT LETHBRIDGE TAPSCOTT, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,324, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed October 31,1895. Serial No. 567,504. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT LETHBRIDGE TAPsooTT, a Subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Polishing Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object a machine which may be run by hand or by mechanical power and which will clean and polish boots while on the wearers feet, or off, as desired.

The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the complete machine with a pair of boots in position. Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line 0200, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y.

In these views, which show an embodiment of the machine adapted to polish both boots at the same time, A is the framework, and B the driving-shaft. The latter, if the machine is to be driven by hand, is preferably connected by gearing O to a counter-shaft D; but if it is to be driven by power the shaft D can be driven direct and the shaft B omitted. The shaft D is provided with three cranks D D the outer ones, D, being preferably at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees with the center one, D or the center pair, as the case may be. These cranks are each connected by a connecting-rod E to a sliding reciprocating bar or carrier, the outer ones, F, of which work the brushes on the outer side of the boots and the central ones, F, the brushes on the inner sides of the boots. If the boots are brushed on the feet of the wearer, they rest each on a platform G, the person standing with one foot on each platform with the toes toward the cranks. If the boots are off the feet, they may be held in position on the platform by any means. The outer side of the boots, the front of the toe and half of the heel, or more than half, are brushed in the fol lowing manner and by the following means: Passing through the outer reciprocating rods F are spindles H, to which are attached plates H, between which and the reciprocating bars are placed springs H Jointed or hinged at one end to the plates H is another plate I, carrying the brushes J J, the brushes J being 7 adapted to come against the toe of the boot,

and the brushes J against the outer sides and heel, as shown, the brushes in all cases being connected by springs to the plate I. Springs K on circular or curved bars, one end of which bars passes through projecting lugs K, the

other end being secured to the plate I, causes these brushes to stand out approximately at right angles until in reciprocating they strike the boot. They are then drawn to one side of the boot by the further reciprocation of the bar F,which movement compresses the curved springs K and also the springs II to some extent, and on the return movement these springs return the brushes to their original position. It will be observed that these brushes adapt themselves, owing to the flexible spring connections, to the shape of the boot.

The brushes J carried by the central reciprocating bars F, are for brushingaportion of the heel, the inner side and a portion of the toe of the boot, and are connected by springs, as shown, each to a short plate L, such plates being hinged to a plate corresponding to the plate H of the opposite side, except that it is longer and has two curved distance-springs K. If required, in this arrangement the two brushes may be hinged together. M are curved or horseshoe rails fixed to the framework at N, which rails may be either semicircular or they may comprise two-thirds of a circle, their curved portion being located above the boots, and O are carriages adapted to run on these rails and to carry brushes P, Fig. 2, with their bristles downward for the purpose of brushing the top of the front of the boot. These carriages are caused to travel on the curved tracks by means of links Q, which are pivoted at R to the carriages and at their other ends to upright bars S, fixed one to the inner and the other to the'outer reciprocating bars I" and F. The reciprocation of the bars, in combination with the links Q and the curved rails M, cause the brushes P to cross over the boot at each reciprocation and, as shown in Fig. 2, owing to the flexible spring connection, to adapt themselves to the exact shape of the boot.

It will be observed that the brushes P in Figs. 2 and 3 are shown in the center of the curved rail M and directly over the toes of the boots, while in Fig. 1 they are shown moved round a little. This is for the sake of clearness to show how the brushes adapt themselves to the shape of the boots.

The mode of action is as follows: The cranks being, as shown, in their farthest position or at the end of their stroke, the brushes will be approximately in the position shown. Now on the return stroke the brushes J, having brushed the side and the larger portion of the heel of the boot, will leave it, and the top of the toe will then be brushed by the brushes P, which, owing to the reciprocating bars F F moving in opposite directions, will be caused to travel along the curved rail M to the opposite side. In the meantime the brushes J will have reached the front of the toe of the boot and will not only brush the toe, but, owing to the hinged plates and springs, a portion of the outer side also, the top brush or brushes having first got clear of the toebrushes J, and the brushes J moving with the center reciprocating bars, will also have brushed a portion of the heel and the inner side of the boot, the front brush having also brushed a portion of the toe missed by the brushes J.

I11 thus describing my invention I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements herein described, for it is obvious that so long as the brushes, in reciprocating, are pressed against the boot, it is not very material how they are guided. For example, by the flexible spring connection of the brushes I mean to include any such connection of the brushes with the parts which carry them as will permit them to adapt themselves readily to the contour of the boot and yet touch the same with adequate yielding pressure. The cranks need not necessarily be set at exactly one hundred and eighty degrees apart. The machine as abovedescribed is used mainly for polishing after blacking, but it will be obvious that it can be used as well for cleaning boots. As herein shown, the machine is essentially double, but it need not be so. It may be adapted for one boot only. I

It is not intended that .each machine shall have the brush attachments so complicated as to enable the machine to clean all sizes and shapes of boots and shoes, but that each machine shall have such brush attachments sufficiently flexible and yielding to allow for cleaning boots or shoes varying somewhat in size or shape. \Vhen a boot is cleaned off the foot, a last or its equivalent may be put in it to support the leather over the instep, so that when the brushes pass over it the leather will not yield and thus miss being polished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination with a frame, a crank-shaft rotatively mounted therein and having its cranks oppositely arranged, a pair of sliding bars mounted in said frame, and connectingrods which couple said bars, respectively, to the cranks in the said shaft, of the brushes,

J and J, carried by one of said sliding bars and having spring connections therewith, the brushes J carried by the other of said sliding bars and having spring connections therewith, the curved track M, arranged above the level of the brushes J, J and J the brushcarriage O, mounted on said track, the downwardly-directed brushes P, having a spring connection to said carriage, and the links Q, which couple said carriage to the respective sliding bars, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination with a reciprocating bar, of a brush-carrier comprising a plate H, provided with rods which play in holes in the said bar, springs interposed between said plate H and the bar, a brush-plate I, hinged to the plate H, and a spring interposed between the free end of the plate I and a lug on the plate H, and the brushes J mounted on the brushplate, substantially as set forth.

In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination with a reciprocating bar, of a brush-carrier mounted on said bar, said carrier comprising a plate I'I',mounted on springs on the said bar and provided with a lug K, the said springs, a brush-plate I, provided with springs and hinged at one end to the end of the plate H, the curved rod K, secured to the free end of the plate I and extending through a hole in the lug K, and the spring on said rod, between said plate and lug, and brushes mounted 011 the springs on the plate I, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination with the inner reciprocating bar F, of the means for brushing the inner side and a portion of the heel of a boot, of a brush-carrier comprising a carrier-plate provided with rods which play in holes in said bar, springs on said rods between the plate and bar, two brush-plates, L, L, hinged at their ends to said carrier-plate and provided each with springs to receive the brushes, and cushion-springs between the free ends of the brush-plates and lugs on the carrier-plate,and brushes mounted on the said brush-plates, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination with the sliding bars 1* and F, and means for reciprocating them in opposite directions simultaneously, of the curved track extending transversely of said bars, a brushcarriage on said track, links connecting said carriage with the respective bars F and 1 and brushes for brushing the top of the boot mounted on said brush-carriage,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

R. LETHBRIDGE TAPSCOT' \Vitnesses G. C. DYMOND, W. H. BEESTON. 

